Pal Joey revival?

Ooh, that'd be news! I thought it was just a typo because of the 2008 revival, but Graciela Daniele was the choreographer for that one.

I have seen at least three productions of Pal Joey and do not think Broadway needs another production. It is really not that good, despite having some terrific songs. I suspect the key issue had been with the leading character...none of the men I saw play Joey were good enough in a very complex, unsympathetic role.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Tony-Goldwyn-Directed-PAL-JOEY-May-Be-Returning-To-Broadway-Next-Year-20171215

I better get paid for literally doing half of the "research" for this piece. Another great example of insufferably lazy BWW reporting.

Updated On: 12/15/17 at 11:12 AM

Even though it is something I have zero interest in seeing -- I'll play Ella Fitzgerald's 'Bewitched...' instead and save some money -- I have to acknowledge that Robert Fairchild seems like a great choice. Only concern: he does not strike me as having much charisma. I would say that was a serious deficiency in the previous actors I have seem in the role.

Plus, starting with Tony Goldwyn as director...that does not sound encouraging.

If Marin Mazzie is cast, I'd be there in a heartbeat.

I think Tony Yazbeck is a better choice than Robert Fairchild. He's a better singer, and has much more charisma and charm.

SweetLips said: "Pal Joey needs reviving?

Where do I send a card?"

???

I'm not usually a fan of "revisals"--but the book to Pal Joey has never worked. However, the original John O'Hara short stories from the New Yorker are great, and someone ought to be able to fashion a smart, ascerbic book from them:



The Paris Review: John O’Hara’s Pal Joey remains an exemplar of a rare form: the epistolary novella

The Los Angeles revival back in the seventies titled PAL JOEY '78 starring Lena Horne and Clifton Davis was awful even with a legendary star. The last Broadway revival wasn't much better. Unfortunately, I think the show was a product of its time and just doesn't work anymore.

A musical with an unlikeable leading man is off to a bad start before anyone has written a single line of dialogue of lyric. Unless that leading man is incredibly charismatic, I don't think it can work. I have seen 4 productions, including the Lena Horne one, and the leading man failed every time, in fact pretty miserably.

I agree with Pal Joey (who I always assumed absolutely loved the show) that the script has always been a problem; but even if someone manages to fix it, the leading man has to be right. (And the script has to deal with an unlikeable leading man role). I can't think of another musical HIT whose leading role was unlikeable. Will definitely have to be a small production, cause a big investment will lose more money than On The Town, which was joyous from beginning to end.

I also thought Dollypop's suggestion re Patti Lupone and Tony Yasbeck was right on; I disagree re Simard, who annoys me almost as much as Jackie Hoffman.

The character songs can be sold well even today, but those hoary old show numbers -- "Happy Hunting Ground", "Flower Garden of My Heart"-- are pretty damn insufferable. I don't know if there's a choreographer alive who could make those worth sitting through.

Updated On: 12/18/17 at 08:38 PM